Monday, August 31

one stamp (0.56 GBP) out of a set of six stamps (only this stamp is bearing the official Sepac logo).

"six stamps showcasing the virtuosity and expressive range of Archibald Knox, great Manx artist. While he is best known internationally as a designer of metalwork, through his work for Liberty’s, in the Isle of Man he is remembered mostly as a watercolourist."

"Slovakia issued their first Europa stamps in 1991 as most of the other ex-communist countries of Central Europe."

"In that year the stamps where still issued under the name of Czechoslovkia and this till 1993 year of the separation between the Czechs (Bohemia and Moravia) and the eastern neighbours the Slovaks to form 2 new countries Slovakia and the Czech Republic."

"Slovakia issues Europa stamps since 1993 under their own name and traditionaly only one single stamp per year."

"Serbia issued their first Europa stamps in 2007, but Yugoslavia issued their first Europa stamps in 1969 already, being the first Communist country to take part."

"In 2003, Yugoslavia's name was replaced by Serbia and Montenego : "Srbije i Crne Gore" for the last two former Yugoslav republics how stayed together. The name was written in both Latin and Cyrillic alphabet."

Tuesday, August 18

We all saw in the under edge of each stamps the issue year or the name of the artist who designed the stamp but sometimes also the name of the printing house : Courvoisier - La Loupe - Joh. Enschedé - Matzoukis - the House of Questa - Printex - etc.

But do you know in which country they are ?

Some postal authorities have their own printing house : Belgium, Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, etc. But most of the others must print their stamps with the help of privat printers and they are not always located in the same country !

For example the 2009 Europa stamps of Greenland, Guernsey and Norway are printed by Joh. Esnschedé in the Netherlands and the ones of Switzrland and Liechtenstein by the State printer of Austria. Azerbaijan stamps are printed in France by Cartor so did Portugal and Jersey.

But some Europa stamps aren't even printed in Europe ! So the Faroe Islands and the Isle of Man decided to let their Europa stamps being printed in Canada by the Lowe Martin Group and Slovenia have their Europa stamps being printed in ... Bahrain ! We are in the middle of globalization and liberalized markets !

Monday, August 17

The stamp shows the well-known “Chapel of St. Mamerta, Triesen”, which is preserved as an ancient monument. The Chapel of St. Mamertus, which stands on a plateau above the village of Triesen and is named after St. Mamertus, the patron saint against earthquakes, conflagrations and landslides, dates in its original form from the 9th or early 10th century and is thus Liechtenstein’s oldest chapel. The distinctive tower is however of more recent origin. It is thought to have been erected only in the 15th century. The building fragments within the 90cm thick curtain wall suggest moreover that the original building may also have served as a dwelling. Possible occupants could have been the legendary “Noblemen of Trisun” (13th/14th century), who were in the service of the Counts of Montfort-Feldkirch and from whom the name of the village and the coat-of-arms also derive. The Chapel is also one of the most frequently pictured symbols of the Oberland (alongside Vaduz Castle and Gutenberg Castle). Like the SEPAC 2007 stamp this stamp is based on a photograph by Marco Nescher.

About Me

Europa stamps collector since 1987. I collect also Sepac and Norden stamps. Don't hesitate to contact me if you want to swap stamps with me.
Real European I collect also euro coins and Eurovision records. And last but not least, I am also a Guinness drinker.